Some, like the GentleYAG, may also be used in vein removal on legs or facial veins.

YAG lasers have proven effective at destroying the pigment in hair follicles, thus are often used for laser hair removal.

The YAG laser is considered "non-ablative", meaning that it does not cut or remove the top layer of your skin; instead, the laser penetrates the skin surface and the energy is absorbed by your skin tissue.

YAG is an acronym for the components of the crystal: yttrium, aluminum, and garnet.

The YAG laser can be pulsed like the CO2 laser used for facial resurfacing.

When the laser is pulsing, called "Q-switched," the laser blasts the damaged or unwanted tissue away. The pulsing should lessen the heat on the skin, therefore reducing potential for damage.

Some YAG lasers use a cooling spray simultaneously when the laser is heating the skin. One of these lasers is the CoolTouch 1320; it works by spraying the outer skin and sensitive nerve endings with a cooling liquid keeping the skin to 111ºF-118ºF

YAG laser skin resurfacing can help with wrinkles, skin tone and texture, but will not help with excess or sagging skin.